City of Bradenton’s New Trespass Ordinance

The Bradenton City council on Wednesday, January 23, 2013, 6pm, City Hall, 100 12th St. West., Bradenton. Item on the agenda is passage of Ordinance 2945, Section 54-14, which will allow issuance of trespass warnings or arrest of individuals who law enforcement deems to be violating city ordinance by being on public owned properties. The new skateboard ramp (near Manatee Memorial Hospital) is the center of this ordinance.

Please make plans to attend this meeting. Some of the concerns I have regarding the passage of this ordinance are:

Our youth who frequent the skateboard ramp can be issued a trespass warning or arrest.

As tax payers of Bradenton, we will be subjected to warnings or arrest because we are on public owned property, when law enforcement deems he/she doesn’t want us there?

How will law enforcement determine individuals are violating the City’s trespass ordinance?

When will law enforcement determine an individual is violating this ordinance?

What would an individual have to do or not do to be asked to leave or issue a warning?

This ordinance came about because a law enforcement officer observed our youth at the skateboard ramp and wanted to address the issue so this ordinance was presented to City Council for adoption

Our youth have been going to the skateboard ramp and this ordinance will pose another threat of our young people being subjected to a record, which would impede them obtaining certain jobs, etc. We have enough of African-Americans in our prison/jails already.

Below are excerpts of ordinance:

“WHEREAS, the city Council has been informed that at times individuals will be present on city properties and violate City ordinances or State Laws and said individuals, upon being ordered to leave or arrested will leave only to return later, and

WHEREAS, the City council desires to provide for a method to allow for the issuance of trespass warnings for individuals committing violations of City ordinances or State statutes; and

WHEREAS, the City Council desires to place certain limitations on such warnings and to provide a process for individuals to appeal the issuance of trespass warnings”